A minor, but notable point: The value of most of the "weak" virtues derive from one of a few observations:
- No one person can ever be stronger than three working together. A coordinated team can play to each other's strengths, and cover for each other's weaknesses. Further, if the strengths of the three are at cross purposes, one alone can indeed have a greater effect. Unified effort and direction is required.
- Keeping a group of people working together requires that they trust each other.
- Anybody can find themselves temporarily weak. Illness and injury (both of which can be either physical or mental) can strike at any time.
- Loyalty flows both ways; a person will, when pressed, frequently only be loyal to someone that they believe will help them in turn in a similar tight situation.
- Most people understand some variation of the ideas that "I could be in that situation", and "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". In particular, most people will have a strong attraction to applying the same rules applied to their comrades to somebody in their mercy.
- Reputation matters. Would you believe someone who has a reputation for lying? How about if you yourself caught them lying?
Just about all the "weak" virtues are part of one of the above. For example, the value of mercy flows from points 3 and 6; the value of friendship can be seen in points 1 and 2.
